Illuminated sign



Oct. 11.1927.

R. AUSTIN ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed March 19, 1927 LNV E V1-DR: Roy @usf/'n TToRNaYs,

manita oa. 11', 191217,.

ffUNiTEiD sra'rss ROY AUSTIN, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

Application led March 19, 1927, Serial No. 176,606, and in. Great Britain March 13,1926.

The present invention relates to. illuminated signs and likel displaying devices of the type in which the words or designs to be displayed yor advertised are formed\ in or,

gree of diffusion as aforesaid can best be obtained by employing a glass screen or plate of rougliened surface, and this invention consists in an exteriorly illuminated sign or device of the character defined consisting of' a V shaped box or casing which is open as to the upper portion thereof and comprising essentially a screen or plate of ground or frosted glass which is disposed immediately behind the front screen or plate whereby the advertisements or notices are displayed and a sheet or panel of corrugated or ribbed mirroredl glass which extends at an inclination at the rear of the whole of the matter to be displayed, whereby the full unobstructed light entering the sign from above is refiected directly upon the rear surface of the said screen or plate of ground or frosted glass and is diffused therethrough over theentire advertisements or notices with the effect that the latter are strongly and uniformly illuminated from the rear and ap` pear as solid luminous letters or designs When viewed from the front from any angle or position. AThe said invention also consists incertain details in the construction and section being taken along the line 2 2 in Figure 1. l

The sign or device illustrated consists of a box or casing of the usual V shape which is formed by side triangular walls a and by a front rectangular frame a1 and a rear rectangularwall a, vand which is open as to the upper portion thereof. 'lhe front portion or I'ace'of the box or casing comprises an opaque screen or plate() Acomposed of suitable material wherein the Words or other matters to be displayed are cut-out or steii- I paratively thin sheetof metal which can be 'readiiy cut-out or stenciiied as required and which is preierably provided witii .an outer covering screen c composed oI glass or other suitable transparent material. '.lhe rear rectangular waii a of' the box or casing extends l outwardly at an angle inthe neighbourhood or d degrees'substantially to the level of tlie upper portion oi' the front rectangular frame ai, and serves as a backing or support for the rei'iectiiig sheet or panei of corrugated or ribbed mirrored glass.

'l'he screen or plate of' ground or frosted glass d 1s disposed in close proximity to the rear or the front screen or plate b so as to foi-iii a diffusing background for the whole of the letters or designs to be displayed. lf desired, the background thus formed may be coloured oi' tinted by meaiisof a screen 0r sheet e composed of a suitable transparent or translucent material, such as gelatine, of the requisite colour or tint, which is interposed between the diffusing screen or plate c6 and the front screen or plate b.

ln the example illustrated, the sign or dei vice is provided with inner triangular side plates g which are inwardly bent as to the iront and rear portions thereof, as' indicated at g1, and which are ldimensionedl in width, as best seen in Figure 2, so that the hereinbefore described screens and reliector are thereby maintained in their respective positions as aforesaid against the front frame al and the rear Wall a2, the retaining plates g being each attached to its adjacent side wall a by means of a screw-bolt l1. and nut h1. The side walls a are also furnished with inwardly bent upper portions a3 which are cut-away at the front and-rear extremities thereof, as shown at icl .and 7:2, so as to permit of the insertion or removal of the abovesaid screens and Areflector when the retaining plates g are Idetached and removed from the sign. Thus, the device can be easily assembled or dismantled, and any of the screens or the reflector thereof can be expeditiously changed or replaced as required.

In cases where the sign is to be suspended for displa ing purposes the upper bent portions a3 o the side walls a are each convenientl formed with a series ,of perforations k whic are adapted to afford on each side of the device a means of attachment for -a hangf ing cord or chain,'so that the sifrn or device can be readily suspended and adJusted in the position or at the inclination aflordlng the most advantageous view.

When .artificial light is utilized for illuminating the dis layed Words or other matters, the source of ight may be located above the sign in a position calculated to produce the best lighting effect, or the signitself may be adjusted at the most 'eective inclination relative' to the said source of light in the hereinbefore described manner. The sides of the device, if desired, may be furnished with suitably vdisposed inner reflecting surfaces, and the up er portion of the sign, instead of being leflt); open as aforesaid, may be covered with a screen or plate composed of glass or other suitable transparent material.

1. An exteriorly illuminated sign comprising in combination, a V shaped casing open as to the upper portion thereof and consisting of a front frame and rear wall and of two side walls, a screen adapted to display the matter to be exhibited and located within the said front frame, a plate of ground glass disposed immediately behind the said front displaying screen, a reflecting panel of ribbed mirrored glass supported by the said rear wall and extending at an inclination at the back of the Whole of the .matter to be displayed, and triangular re# taining plates detachably secured to the said side walls and inwardly bent as to their front and rear edges for maintaining the said the said front frame, a. plate of ground glass disposed immediately behind the said front displaying screen, a reflecting panel ot ribbed mirrored glass supported by the said rear wall and extending at an inclination at the back of the whole of the matter to be displayed, and means for maintaining the said front screen and plate and the said rear refleeting panel in their respective positions within the sign, the side walls of the said casing being furnished with inwardly bent portions which .are adapted to afford a means of suspension for the sign and which are cutaway at their front and rear extremities to enable the said front screen and plate and the said rear reflecting panel to be inserted in and removed from the said casing.

3. An exteriorly illuminated sign comprising in combination, a V shaped casing `open as to the upper portion thereof and consisting of a front frame yand rear Wall and of two side walls, a screen .adapted to display the matter to be exhibited and located within l front displaying screen and plate of ground glass ior colouring the displayed matter, a reflecting panel of ribbed mirrored glass supported by the said rear wall and extending at an inclination at the back of the whole of the matter to be displayed, and triangular retaining plates detachably secured to the said side walls and inwardly bent as to their front and rear edges for maintaining the said ront screen andv plate and the said rear re lecting panel in their respective positions against the said front frame and rearfyvall, the side walls of the said casing being furnished with inwardly bent portions which are adapted to afford a means of suspension for the sign and which are cut-away at their front and rear extremities to enable the said front screen and plate and thevsaid rear refleeting pan-el to be inserted in and removed from the said casing; l

In testimony name to this specification.

ROY AUSTIN.

whereof I have signed my 

